Image Props

[propstuff]

I've started trying out image props by experimenting with placing them into a landmark file with a DTM.

I began by importing an existing image prop from the object libraries, and it appeared in the resource browser in the symbol/plug in section as a "cross", and in the texture section as a texture. When rendered in "final" mode it displayed the transparencies and shadow correctly.

Then I chose the "create Image Prop" command and following the instructions in the manual, after some mucking around, made the prop and it's transparency mask successfully. Placed into the DTM layer and located with the "Send to Surface" command it appeared in plan view as a cross , and in a 3D view as a pair of crossed planes like the pre-made one.

Problem 1

When rendered, the planes contained no image and in the Object info palette had no dimensions. Repeating the same procedure in a blank file and a further file with a DTM there was no problem. Weird, but hey, it worked in the others, so,........................

The Main Problem

When created, the "Create Plug-in Object" box was ticked, and when finished, the Object info palette said they were Image Props, and had the correct modification options like the pre-made one, the Texture appeared in the texture section of the resource browser, but nothing appeared in the Symbols/Plug-ins section.

Consequently, there seemed no way of "saving" the image prop for later use. If the single instance was deleted, the texture remained, but the plugin object was gone for good, unlike the one imported from the library which could be placed as many times as wanted, and imported into other files.

I can find no reference in the manual to this.

Can anyone help here?

N.